Volvo S40 Aims For Affordability

JIM MATEJA TEST DRIVE

Volvo has gotten serious about wanting to sell more cars in the United States, as evidenced by introducing a compact entry-level model with a sticker price under $30,000.

The 2000 S40 sedan means young or budget-minded buyers no longer have to wait until a Volvo reaches its third birthday, depreciating to the point they can afford one.

The attraction of an S40, however, isn't just the price tag. Though small, it doesn't lack the safety systems that turned consumers on to bigger, more expensive Volvos.

And while carrying a Volvo name, this compact shares the same design philosophy that's been showing up at Volvo the last few years as it has shed the stodgy box-on-wheels image.

The S40 sedan starts at $22,900, the V40 wagon (V designates station wagon), at $23,900. That compares with a base price of about $28,000 before tax and options on the midsize S70 sedan, $38,000 for the larger and more luxurious S80 sedan and $39,000 for the sporty C70 coupe.

Volvo boasts that though small, the S40 packs some punch thanks to its 1.9-liter, 160-horsepower, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.

Of course, the S40 isn't a performance sedan. It's not meant to be. The S40 is a compact sedan that has adequate power when needed, but sits back and cruises while consuming very little fuel all other times.

The 21 mile-per-gallon city/28 mile-per-gallon highway rating from the turbo four teamed with 4-speed automatic is testament to the fact that this sedan wasn't brought into the fold to win over performance enthusiasts as it was to bring folks into Volvo showrooms who normally would have ventured to Lexus to check out an ES300 or Mercedes.

Which, of course, brings us to safety. The S40 is loaded with features aimed to protect its occupants.

Four-wheel anti-lock brakes are standard. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC, an anti-skid system) is part of the optional weather package that runs $850 and includes heated seats and headlamp washers/wipers.

The suspension has been designed for a firm feel with the road without letting a lot of harshness filter back through the wheel. The steering system has been tuned for quick response to wheel input.

Seat belts are fitted with pre-tensioners that tighten to eliminate slack in a frontal impact but come with load limiters to provide some "give" needed at higher speeds when load levels on the belts are at their highest.

The driver and passenger front air bags are the dual threshold variety, which means they will inflate at lower speed if the occupant is belted and higher speed if the occupant is unbelted. The system can detect whether driver is belted and passenger isn't or vice versa to regulate deployment speeds. Any time a bag deploys, all doors are automatically unlocked to make it easier for occupants to exit or emergency crews to enter.

With all the attention to safety, we have one gripe. Why are the outside mirrors minuscule?

There are a few other gripes. For a compact sedan, cabin room is generous, except the back where legroom is tolerable but tight.

As a special incentive, those who order an S40 or V40 by Sept. 30 get a $500 accessory package free.